A Christmas Angel
by Morning Glory Conlon
Summary: So the story's out of season-- Brooklyn was found five days before Christmas laying in the snow with no memories of who she is, where she's from, how old she was...Can the newsies help her figure out her past or will she start a new life?
1. Snow Angel

**Author's note:** I know this is a bit out of season, but it's a good story trust me. Please read and review. Any kind of reviews are welcome unless it's from Lance, then it's not welcomed. This is for all my newsies pals, you know who you are.

**centeruA Christmas Angelu/center**

                                    By Morning Glory 

"Hey whad are ya doin' layin' in the snow?" An Italian boy called. He was wearing a white shirt with a checkered button up vest, no coat on over it. The snow had been falling to the ground lightly for an hour or less now. Covering everything in a cold white blanket. The was a steel gray and the falling snow made it hard to see. In the snow laid a small girl with light black curly hair and the strangest shade eyes. They were a blue color, but more on the violet side. Her skin was a light olive color from her Italian background.

 Brooklyn heard the voice call to her from where she was in the snow. She went to stand up, putting her hands down to push her self up. When she did a piercing pain shot up through her whole arm causing her for fall back a bit, "Ow." Brooklyn grabbed her arm quickly cradling it to her chest.

"Here led me 'elp ya up." Race walked over to where the small girl was in the snow. He extended his hand reaching out for her good arm. Once Brooklyn was standing she felt a sudden sweep of dizziness take over her, "Careful…I gotcha." He said holding onto her arm, "So why were ya layin' in da snow?"

"I don't know." Brooklyn's head started to throb with pain. She blinked a few times the snow sticking to her lashes. "W-where am I?"

"Yous in Manhattan, New Yawk. Ya gotta a name?" Race asked as they slowly start to walk towards the path. 

"Yea I think it's Brooklyn." Brooklyn looked back over at the place in the snow where she was laying. Some of the white snow was shaded with a red color. Brooklyn panicked a little, but tried to hide it.

"Whad da ya mean ya thin' ids Brooklyn?" Race could feel her tense up a bit, "Jus' relax…. I ain't gonna hurt you or anythin'."

"I can't remember. I don't even know where I live, I don't know who I am, I don't know if I had family, I don't even know how old I am…All I know well think I know is my name is Brooklyn." She felt the tears roll down her cheeks freezing slightly. Race quickly wiped them away with his sleeve.

"Well I's is Racetrack Higgins. Ya can call me Race."

"Okay, Well you can call me Brooke, Brook, or Brooklyn what ever you want it's not like I remember my name any ways." Brooklyn tried to move her wrist but it hurt too bad.

"I think we's bettah get yer arm checked out." Race said as he watched her attempt to move her wrist.

"I think it might be broken." She whispered felling the tears push harder behind her eyes and roll down her cheeks. It started to harder snow now as the two walked down the street. Race could feel Brooklyn leaning even move into him. They were almost to the Hospital when Brooklyn collapsed into him. He picked her up carefully into his arms and carried her to the front desk.

"Can I get a little 'elp heah?!" Race said to the nurse behind the desk.

"What happened to her?" The nurse led Race down the hall towards a room to put Brooklyn in.

"I'm not sure." He said to the nurse looking down at Brooklyn who had become obviously pale over the last few minutes.

The nurse nodded and then took Brooklyn from his arms placing her on the bed, "You'll have to wait out in the lobby." She escorted him out of the room and called for a doctor.

Race walked out the room to wait in the lobby. He watched the doctors walk in and out of the hall where Brooklyn's room was located. A couple of nurses passed and when Race went to ask a question they would just rush past him.

A couple of hours went by and finally a doctor came out to talk to Race, "Are you her brother?" The doctor asked. He was probably assuming this because Brooklyn had the same Italian look that he had. 

"Yeah."  Race lied because he wanted to know what was going on.

"Brooklyn has a broken arm and she a concussion. She has some memory loss but it will come back to her eventually. Just try to show her things that will help spark the memories. Brooklyn can go home with you tonight, but she needs to be under watch. You can go see her now." Race followed the doctor into the room where he had brought Brooklyn. He walked over to her bed. She smiled.

"Hey, how 're ya doin'?" Race asked.

"Fine. The doctor said I could go home tonight." She paused for a minute and frowned, "Where am I going to go? I don't remember where I live."

"Well I's live at da lodgin' house for da news boy, an' ah maybe yah coul' stay there wit me."

Brooklyn looked up at Race for a few seconds, "Really?" She asked him. Brooklyn was confused on why he was being so nice to her. Race had just found her in the snow and now he was offering her a place to stay. Brooklyn wondered if Race had a hidden agenda.

"Of course. Every one is welcome at da lodgin' house." Race said with a smile.

"Thank you." She whispered softly. 

*****************************

The lodging house seemed to be a long walk, they made it back before the weather got too much worse. Inside of the lodging house it was extremely quiet except for the soft steps of Race and Brooklyn. It was warm and cozy inside as well it seemed to wrap them in a comforting blanket. Race led Brooklyn up the stairs no one was back from selling yet, "Ah, my bunk is da top one…" He said looking around the room trying to figure out which rooms were occupied. He knew that there were only two left, but didn't know which. Race looked at his bunk and then over at Brooklyn. His bunk was a bit high for her and it would be easier for her to use a lower bunk, "Heah you's can use Bumlet's for now and he can use me bunk till we figure which ones are open.."

Brooklyn nodded and sat down on the edge of Bumlet's bunk.  "Can I get ya anythin'?" Race asked sitting down next to her.

"No thank you, I am fine, but I am a little tired. Maybe I'll rest." Brooklyn lay down. 

Race smiled and stood up nodding slightly, "Get some sleep. It'll make you feel better." He watched Brooklyn sleep for a few minutes. Making sure she was going to be okay. Then Race paced around the room not sure if he should go to find Jack or wait. He looked at the clock it was two o'clock and the guys would be back with in the half hour before they went to Tibby's for dinner. 

Every so often Race would glance over at Brooklyn to make sure she was still sleeping. She needed her rest to get better. Race looked up at the clock and wondered what was taking every one so long. It wasn't that it was really taking every one so long to get back it was just Race was anxious about making the arrangements for Brooklyn to stay there.


	2. He saw an Angel

**Author's note: The reason for the first three chapters ending the way they do is because originally the first chapter was nine pages long. I cut most of it down and separated it into three chapters. I thought nine pages would be a bit much to read. Thank you for the reviews though**

Soon the first newsies walked in laughing and joking. "Hey Race where ya been?" Skittery called out. Race quickly shushed him and the rest of the newsies as they started to enter. 

"Ya we ain't seen ya all day." Jack called, but his voice dropped when Race hissed at him to be quiet.

"I've been waitin' fer ya and Bumlets."  Race said quietly. Bumlets and Jack walked over to Race. 

"Bumlets do ya min' takin' me bunk tonight?" He asked looking over at Brooklyn asleep in Bumlet's.

"Uh….sure…why?" Bumlets asked with a confused look on his face.

"Well I found dis goil layin' in da snow an' she was pretty beat up." Race made a slight face thinking of the mess Brooklyn had been when he found her, "She don't remember where she's from. So I said she can stay here. Her arm's broken an' she's gotta concussion. I didn' know whad bunks wheah open an' yers was lower…"

"Why don' ya move 'ere ta da smaller room d'ats off of da bunkroom? id 'ill be quitter there." Jack walked over with Race to where Brooklyn was lying.

"Hey Brooklyn." Race knelt down and shook her lightly.

Brooklyn blinked her eyes a few times remembering where she was now, "Hey Race…"  She sat up slowly with the help of Race.

"D'is is Jack Kelly ledda of da Manhattan Newsies." Brooklyn would of shook Jack's hand but her right arm was in a sling.

"Well we're gonna move ya ta a smallah room of dah bunkroom. D'at way no one can disturbed ya."  He said with a soft caring smile as he pointed towards the room door.

"Okay." Brooklyn agreed she didn't feel up to arguing or protesting. They were kind enough to let her stay here.

 Race went to go pay Kloppman and Jack went to set up the room for Brooklyn. Brooklyn went to stand up to head to the room. She felt dizzy again and put her hand to her head. Brooklyn's grew weak underneath her and felt like they were going to give out, just when she felt some one grabbed her around the waist. 

"Let me 'elp ya." He took her by the upper arm gently and put his arm around her waist.

"Thanks."

"Where 're ya goin'? I'm Kid Blink." Blink thought that Brooklyn was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. She had bright violet blue eyes, and her long soft curly black hair fell right in the middle of her back. She was tall and thin. Blink thought that she looked like an angel.

"To that  room there. I'm Brooklyn." She said softly leaning slightly against him for support. Blink thought of ways to make conversation with Brooklyn.

"So how ya hurt yer arm?"

"The strange thing is I can't remember." They reached the other room; Blink walked her to the bed they both sat down.

Blink frowned a little when she said she couldn't remember. Then he tried to think of something else they could talk about, "So wheah 're ya from if you's don' mind me askin'?"

"I don't remember….I don't remember anything at all…I don't even know the date."

"Well I's can answer some question ya might have. Taday's date is da is 20th an' da way ya tawk sounds like ya came from a well off family?" Blink didn't to want to say good family because he didn't know what her life was like and he didn't want to upset her.

"Five days until Christmas and I wont be with my family if I even have one." The tears slipped down her cheeks.

"Hey don' cry. We's may not be ya real family but we can be yer newsies family. Ya know if ya wan'?"

"I would like that. All of you seem real nice." Brooklyn laid down.

"I can leave if ya wan'?"

"No you don't have to. Tell me a something about yourself?" Brooklyn didn't want to be a lone right now.

"Well whada ya wanna know?"

"Where are you from? And about your parents and stuff, if you don't mind." Brooklyn nodded and looked at Blink as he talked.

"So ya wanna know me past. I don't really like ta tawk about id, but fer ya I think I could make an exception. I can barely remember my mudda and fadda. I didn' have id bad. We's was well off but we's hit hard time and me fadda got very sick. Me mudda worked tree jobs ta try an' keep up wid da doc bills. I took up a job as a newsies. Me fadda died two years later. My mudda went ta work one day an' neva came back. I was an orphan. I came 'ere ta live ad da lodgin' house. Me mudda was very beautiful she had long blond hair and blue eyes. I would give anything ta see her. She tried her hardest." Blink had just finished when Race walked in. Brooklyn made a mental note about Blink's past.

"Hey how ya doin'?" Asked Race.

"Good." Brooklyn sat up slowly.

"All of us 're headed ta Tibby's fer dinner ya wanna come?"

"Sure." Blink carefully helped Brooklyn up and the three walked out of the room and into the main bunkroom. Blink went over to the closet to get his jacket, he was one of the few newsies who own a jacket. Race and Brooklyn were waiting for Blink to join them.

When they got outside it was snowing pretty hard still. Blink took off his jacket and put it on Brooklyn's shoulders.

"Thanks." She wrapped the jacket tighter around her, blocking the harsh winter from her body. 

After a few more minutes of walking they reached Tibby's Jack was already there with five other newsies.

"Hey Jack!" Race called.

"Hey Blink, Race, Brooklyn ova' here!" Jack motioned them over to the table he was sitting at.

"Brooklyn d'is is Bumlets, Skittery, Crutchy, David, and d'is is Mush." They all said hello. Mush got up to let Brooklyn sit down.

"Thanks." She said sweetly and she sat down. Bumlets and Crutchy got up to go. Blink and Race took their seats. 

"So how was selling today?" David asked.

"Okay da headline wasn't d'at great." Blink answered. Race took out a cigar and lit it. The smoke from the cigar circled up into the air floating over towards Brooklyn. 

"What is that smell?" She asked.

"Oh sorry id's me cigar I put id out if ya wan'." Race offered.

"No!" Brooklyn said quickly. A few of the guys looked over at her, "It just reminds me of something." She felt her cheeks flush slightly from her outburst. For the second time no one said anything. 


	3. Memories

"What does it remind you of Brook?" Blink asked her.

"I remember a guy who smoked cigars the sent is familiar." She said closing her eyes for a few moments trying to picture the person in her mind, but it wasn't coming.

"Coul' id be yer Fadda?" asked Jack.

"Maybe." She said sadly. Every one was quite. Finally Brooklyn got up, Blink went to follow her, but she went into the bathroom and shut the door. Brooklyn leaned against the door so know one could get in. Her head swam as she tried to recall who the person was that the cigar smell reminded her of. Brooklyn felt tears sting at the back of her eyes in frustration. She had a hole other life somewhere out there, but she couldn't remember it. When she felt that Blink wasn't outside the door anymore she walked over to the sink and washed her face. After a few more moments Brooklyn walked out and back over to the table.

"Yeah I keep havin' d'is dream of an angel, But dis ain't no regular angel she needed me 'elp. She had huge violet blue eyes and black hair…." Spot trailed off. He just stared at Brooklyn. "Hey Jacky am I dreamin'? She looks jest like da angel from me dream."  

"Nah dis is Brooklyn."  Jack said to him, "Brooklyn this is Spot, fearless leader of Brooklyn," Jack laughed a little. Spot stood and pulled up a chair letting Brooklyn sit in his seat. No one said anything until the waiter came over. 

"Are you ready to order?" Asked the waiter.

"Ah. Yeah wes gonna had da usual. Brooklyn whad da ya wan'?" Jack asked her.

"I'm not really hungry." She said softly. 

"So where ya from Brooklyn?" Spot asked her as the waiter walked away.

"I can't remember." Brooklyn gave the same reply she had given the other newsies that had asked.

"Huh? Whadda ya mean ya don' know where ya from?" Spot inquired. Brooklyn didn't know what to say. She felt stupid that she couldn't remember where she was from or where she lived. These were all things a five year old learned.

Race looked over at Spot, "She's had a long day. We'se went ta da doctah and d'ey said she'd have some memory los', but it woul' all come back." He looked over at Brooklyn and flashed her an assuring smile, "So we'se gotta help her remember."

Brooklyn felt a little better with Race by her side. Spot nodded feeling bad about the way he had talked to her, "So ya gotta newsie name?" 

"A newsie name," She echoed, "No, no I don't have one."

"Well I think we could come up with one for ya."  Spot leaned back in his chair and looked at all the guys who nodded with agreement.

"How about  Angel." Spot suggested seeing as she reminded him of the one in his dream.

            The guys all smiled and nodded, "I like da name Angel." Race said, "What do ya think Brooklyn?"

            "Yeah…I like it too." Brooklyn smiled softly as she began her new life.


End file.
